Adamweitzman

Adobe’s Place in the Photogrammetry Landscape

Adobe has long been a leader in digital creation, famous for tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro that shape visual media across industries. Despite this dominance, Adobe is not widely recognized in photogrammetry. Historically, Adobe’s products have catered to photo editing, graphic design, and video production rather than 3D modeling and spatial data analysis. However, recent innovations, particularly in Adobe’s Substance 3D suite, hint that Adobe might be entering the photogrammetry space.

What is Adobe Known For?

Adobe is synonymous with creativity, offering software that allows designers, photographers, and videographers to bring their ideas to life. Some of Adobe’s flagship products include:

• Adobe Photoshop: Advanced image editing, retouching, and compositing.
• Adobe Illustrator: Vector-based illustration and design for logos, icons, and other scalable graphics.
• Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects: Video editing and motion graphics creation.
• Adobe Substance 3D Suite: A suite that focuses on 3D modeling, texturing, and rendering, particularly valuable for game developers, VFX artists, and 3D designers.

Adobe’s Substance 3D suite, which includes tools like Substance Painter, Substance Designer, and Substance Stager, has gained a strong foothold in 3D creation, especially for texturing and material creation. Substance 3D is particularly known for its capacity to create hyper-realistic materials and textures, making it an ideal choice for industries requiring lifelike detail. However, Substance 3D’s main focus remains on materials, textures, and assets rather than on 3D model creation from photos, which is what photogrammetry achieves.

Has Adobe Delved into Photogrammetry?

Adobe has indirectly touched upon photogrammetry by making 3D and VR/AR tools available through Substance 3D. However, Adobe does not currently offer a dedicated photogrammetry tool comparable to software like Agisoft Metashape or RealityCapture. That said, Adobe has shown a clear interest in expanding its 3D capabilities over the years.

One notable effort is Adobe’s partnership with Allegorithmic, the original developer of the Substance line. Adobe acquired Allegorithmic in 2019, adding a 3D-focused product line to its portfolio. Substance 3D quickly became popular in industries that rely on high-quality materials and textures. Although Adobe Substance has not specifically addressed photogrammetry, its tools—especially Substance Painter and Substance Designer—are often used in tandem with photogrammetry software to enhance textures and refine models post-processing.

Adobe Substance 3D and Photogrammetry

Adobe’s Substance 3D suite holds potential for photogrammetry workflows, particularly when it comes to texturing and enhancing 3D models. Here’s a closer look at what each major tool in the suite offers:

• Substance Painter: Known for its ability to paint textures directly onto 3D models, Substance Painter is a favorite among game designers and VFX artists. It allows users to import 3D models generated by photogrammetry software and then apply complex textures and details. However, it does not generate models from photos, meaning that it does not handle the core photogrammetry process itself.
• Substance Designer: A powerful tool for creating procedural textures and materials. This tool is useful for users who want to add customizable textures to their 3D models created by photogrammetry software. Designers can also create complex, layered materials that adapt well to high-resolution 3D models.
• Substance Stager: Designed for staging and rendering, this tool is perfect for positioning 3D objects in realistic scenes. Once a 3D model is created, Substance Stager can help designers place it in a virtual environment and render the scene. While it doesn’t build models from photos, it’s valuable in presenting photogrammetry models in finished, photorealistic setups.

Current Photogrammetry Capabilities

At present, Adobe lacks a dedicated photogrammetry software that can create 3D models from a series of 2D photos. However, for creatives looking to refine, texture, or render existing 3D models, Adobe’s Substance 3D suite offers significant capabilities that can enhance photogrammetry-generated models. This limitation means that Adobe cannot yet function as a standalone photogrammetry solution but is highly compatible as a post-processing suite.

Adobe’s focus on high-quality textures, materials, and render environments may signal a future direction towards more robust 3D modeling capabilities. Still, for those looking to fully manage the photogrammetry workflow, Adobe is best used in conjunction with specialized photogrammetry tools like Agisoft Metashape, RealityCapture, or Pix4D.

How Does Adobe Substance 3D Compare to Photogrammetry-Specific Software?

To understand Adobe’s standing in the photogrammetry space, it’s essential to compare Adobe Substance 3D with dedicated photogrammetry software like Agisoft Metashape, RealityCapture, and Pix4D. These photogrammetry-specific tools are designed to process large sets of images into accurate 3D models, offering workflows and algorithms finely tuned for high-precision outputs. Adobe Substance 3D, however, focuses on texturing, material creation, and rendering for models rather than the model generation itself.

Here’s a closer look at how Adobe Substance 3D stacks up against traditional photogrammetry software across several critical areas:

Model Accuracy and Detail

• Photogrammetry-Specific Software: Programs like Metashape and RealityCapture are built with advanced algorithms that ensure high-fidelity models, capturing intricate details and minimizing errors. These tools generate dense point clouds and mesh surfaces that are optimized for detailed accuracy. In the case of architectural or archaeological applications, this precision is crucial for realistic models.
• Adobe Substance 3D: Substance 3D cannot produce 3D models directly from photographs. Instead, it requires a pre-built 3D model (often generated by photogrammetry software) to apply textures and materials. While it enhances the visual realism of a model, it does not contribute to the structure or accuracy of the model itself.

Workflow Integration and Ease of Use

• Photogrammetry-Specific Software: These tools are typically optimized for a streamlined photogrammetry process, allowing users to upload image sets, generate point clouds, create meshes, and refine textures in a single environment. Many photogrammetry software options also offer batch processing, cloud processing, and GPU acceleration to handle large image sets efficiently.
• Adobe Substance 3D: Substance 3D products are highly accessible and user-friendly, with intuitive interfaces for creatives experienced with Adobe software. However, integrating photogrammetry models into Adobe requires manual importing and may involve several steps to refine and texture models. For those focused on creative enhancement rather than model generation, Adobe is a good fit, but it lacks the one-click processing seen in specialized photogrammetry software.

Cost and Licensing

• Photogrammetry-Specific Software: Many dedicated photogrammetry tools come with subscription models or perpetual licenses, which can be costly, especially for professional and enterprise versions. For example, Pix4D and RealityCapture often offer pricing models based on the user’s intended application and require significant investment upfront or on a recurring basis.
• Adobe Substance 3D: Adobe offers its products under a subscription model, which includes access to its entire Substance 3D suite as part of the Creative Cloud. For existing Adobe users, this pricing can be economical compared to investing in additional photogrammetry software. However, since Substance 3D lacks photogrammetry-specific capabilities, users may still need to purchase third-party photogrammetry software, potentially increasing overall costs.

Performance and Scalability for Large Projects

• Photogrammetry-Specific Software: Dedicated tools like RealityCapture are engineered to handle massive datasets efficiently, supporting high-resolution image sets with thousands of photos. Many programs use GPU acceleration and support cloud processing to speed up the workflow for users managing extensive datasets, which is critical in applications like aerial mapping or large-scale asset scanning.
• Adobe Substance 3D: Substance 3D does not process large image datasets for model creation, focusing instead on material and texturing performance. Its tools are excellent for enhancing smaller, detailed models, and Substance Stager can handle complex renderings but lacks the raw processing power required for large-scale photogrammetry.

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Adobe Substance 3D vs. Photogrammetry-Specific Software

Feature	Adobe Substance 3D	Photogrammetry-Specific Software
Model Generation	Not available	Yes
Texturing and Material Creation	Industry-leading, detailed control	Basic to advanced (varies by software)
Point Cloud and Mesh Generation	No	Yes, high accuracy
Ease of Integration	Seamless with Adobe tools, external integration for 3D models	Varies but often compatible with other 3D software
Cost	Subscription (Creative Cloud)	Subscription or perpetual, often costly
GPU and Cloud Processing	Primarily GPU for rendering, no cloud	Yes, often supports cloud and GPU acceleration

Adobe Substance 3D excels in enhancing, texturing, and staging pre-built 3D models but does not generate models directly from images. In contrast, photogrammetry-specific software offers high-precision model generation but may lack the refined texturing tools Adobe provides. Therefore, combining Adobe’s Substance 3D suite with a photogrammetry tool can create an efficient workflow, balancing model accuracy and visual refinement.

Adobe’s Alternatives and Third-Party Integrations for Photogrammetry

While Adobe does not currently offer a dedicated photogrammetry tool, its software can still play a valuable role in a photogrammetry workflow through integration with third-party photogrammetry applications. By combining Adobe’s advanced texturing and post-processing capabilities with specialized photogrammetry software, users can achieve high-quality, realistic 3D models optimized for various creative applications. Below are some of the most effective integrations and workflows that allow users to bring together Adobe and third-party photogrammetry tools.

Adobe and Agisoft Metashape Integration

Agisoft Metashape is one of the industry’s leading photogrammetry tools, known for its high-quality 3D model generation and ability to handle large image datasets. While Metashape excels at creating accurate 3D meshes from photos, Adobe’s software can elevate these models with refined textures and realistic finishes.

1. Importing Models into Substance 3D: After creating a model in Metashape, users can export it in OBJ or FBX formats, which are compatible with Adobe Substance 3D. This allows users to import the model into Substance Painter for detailed texturing.
2. Enhancing Textures with Substance Painter: Substance Painter provides advanced tools for painting textures directly onto the model. Users can add materials, bump maps, and fine details, giving the model a more polished, lifelike appearance.
3. Lighting and Rendering in Substance Stager: Once the model is textured, it can be imported into Substance Stager to position the model in a realistic setting and apply custom lighting. This workflow is particularly effective for product visualization, marketing, and creative projects that require high visual fidelity.

Using RealityCapture with Adobe Tools

RealityCapture is another popular photogrammetry software, prized for its speed and efficiency. It’s ideal for users needing to process large sets of photos quickly, such as in game development or film production. Here’s how RealityCapture can integrate with Adobe:

1. Generating Models in RealityCapture: RealityCapture can quickly process a large number of images, producing detailed models. These models can then be exported in formats like OBJ or PLY for compatibility with Adobe software.
2. Refining in Photoshop: Photoshop’s capabilities can be used here, especially for post-processing textures generated in RealityCapture. Textures that may need color correction, refinement, or specific enhancements can be processed in Photoshop before applying them to the model in Substance 3D.
3. Combining with After Effects: For users integrating 3D models into video projects, Adobe After Effects can be used to add motion graphics, effects, or additional visual elements, bringing models to life in a cinematic format.

Adobe Bridge for Asset Management

Adobe Bridge is a digital asset management tool that can be used to organize and manage photogrammetry files, streamlining the workflow. For photogrammetry projects that involve hundreds or even thousands of images, Adobe Bridge offers tools for:

• Image organization: Efficiently sorting and categorizing large image sets used in photogrammetry.
• Batch processing: Applying consistent edits across multiple images, which can save time in the initial setup before processing images in photogrammetry software.
• Previewing 3D assets: Quickly previewing OBJ and FBX files to ensure assets are correct before importing them into Substance 3D or other Adobe software.

Working with OBJ and FBX Files in Adobe Software

The OBJ and FBX file formats are commonly used for 3D models generated by photogrammetry software. Adobe’s Substance 3D suite is fully compatible with these formats, allowing seamless imports. Here’s how Adobe handles these file types:

• OBJ Files: Widely used in photogrammetry and 3D modeling, OBJ files store both geometry and texturing data. Adobe’s Substance Painter and Substance Designer can easily read OBJ files, making them ideal for importing photogrammetry models for further customization.
• FBX Files: FBX files are frequently used in game design and animation due to their compatibility with motion data. Adobe After Effects and Substance 3D Stager support FBX, enabling animators and developers to use photogrammetry models directly within their Adobe workflows for more dynamic applications.

Benefits of Using Adobe for Photogrammetry Workflows

Integrating Adobe with photogrammetry software allows users to leverage the best features of both. Adobe’s texturing, post-processing, and rendering capabilities can elevate the quality and realism of models created in photogrammetry tools, making them ready for professional-grade applications. This combined workflow provides the precision of photogrammetry with the creative flexibility Adobe offers, particularly useful in fields like gaming, film production, and product visualization.

Adobe’s role in a photogrammetry workflow may not yet be standalone, but its powerful texturing, rendering, and asset management tools make it a valuable asset when used in conjunction with photogrammetry-dedicated software.